1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to a rocket engine having guide vanes.
Such guide vanes are used for guiding the rocket in a desired trajectory, by deflecting the flow of gas out of the engine in a particular direction.
2. Background Art
In rockets gases are produced by combustion, of solid or liquid fuels, and the gases are accelerated through a nozzle and out through the rearmost end of the rocket. The acceleration of the gases causes a thrust against the rocket oppositely of the direction of acceleration.
Known guide vanes are situated in the supersonic part of the nozzle, i.e. behind the combustion chamber, and are journalled for turning at or near their middle. When such a vane is turned, the parts of the vane forwardly and rearwardly of the axis of turning protrude to the respective sides of a diametrical middle plane in the nozzle and are hit by accelerating gases having a high velocity. Thereby, parts of the gas flow are retarded, and large flow losses and a reduction of the effective thrust occur.
The aim of the present invention is to reduce or mainly to eliminate such flow losses by regulating of guide vanes in rockets.
This is achieved by a rocket engine as defined in the succeeding, independent claim.